


The Park Jaehyung Effect

by childofthenight2035



Category: Day6 (Band), GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fraternity, Drinking, For a Friend, Gen, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Minor Im Jaebum | JB/Park Jinyoung | Jr.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:55:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22253011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/childofthenight2035/pseuds/childofthenight2035
Summary: It's Jae's fault. It always is.
Kudos: 19





	The Park Jaehyung Effect

The first time Jackson sees Jae is in the cafeteria on the third day after he starts freshman year: standing up on his seat, very nearly on the table, a prominent stain dripping down his shirt and glasses askew. And quite emphatically saying, “ _You_ think you’re good? I am the KING of PUBG! Ask anybody! Ask Mark! Actually don’t ask Mark; Mark’s better than me.”

After which the bewildered kid he was yelling at slowly gets up with his lunch and walks away. And then the guy on the table sits back down like nothing happened, much to the embarrassment of his friends (one of them has his head in his arms but nothing can hide his red ears).

-

Jackson’s roommate is a boy called Park Jinyoung and his first impression is ‘cute but a jerk’ because the guy opens the door (hears Jackson say “hi!”), rolls his eyes and lets him in. Once they’ve settled, Jinyoung tells him he was in a bad mood and he could already tell that Jackson was one of the loud energetic types. He says it so diplomatically that Jackson wonders if he’s the one at fault here.

But the two of them get along, with Jinyoung mainly reading or scrolling through his phone and Jackson sprawled all over him, on _his_ bed and begging for attention. Jackson’s whining has, in the short span of a few days, become the background music set to Jinyoung’s boring, boring life.

Okay, maybe it’s not _that_ boring. Jackson thinks Jinyoung’s boyfriend is super hot. _And_ cool. Jaebeom isn’t quite on board with him until Jackson prances around him like a puppy and declares the couple his parents for the rest of his college life. He almost cracks Jaebeom’s icy mask. Almost. He’s getting there. He swears he heard Jaebeom mutter under his breath, “gods, he’s like Jae 2.0. But at least Jae has a little dignity.”

But it’s alright, because his professors say the same thing and Jackson’s curiosity grows. He sees the guy onstage playing guitar for freshman orientation. He’s good, Jackson thinks, he must be to play in front of an auditorium full of people. He seems like another person entirely.

-

Jackson has made plenty of acquaintances apart from his roommate, it’s just he can never remember names. He knows Namjoon, though; maybe they’ll be best friends. The rest of the contacts in his phone are along the lines of “red hair guy from acctng” or “loud jerk from pe”. 

He’s just doing his best.

But he gains a reputation, too. It’s because he’s so good-looking and fit (though Jinyoung begs to differ) and because he’s so excitable and fun ( _exhausting_ , says Jinyoung) to be around. He makes a lot of noise in class but there’s a childish innocence about him that make the professors go easy on him. Jinyoung says he doesn’t deserve it.

But that’s okay, too, because Jinyoung’s boyfriend is Jaebeom, who lives half a frat boy life and gets invited to parties, and obviously invites his boyfriend and (obviously) Jackson tags along, stuck to Park gae like glue. 

So, Jackson meets this Mark two weeks later, when Jaebeom introduces them at the house party and learns that he’s Jaebeom’s best friend. When he mentions the cafeteria incident, Mark promptly drags him over to the host of the party. 

And like that, Jackson meets Jae. 

-

Jae is quite the picture of hilarity when Jackson is brought to him: he’s wearing a crop top for some reason (maybe he didn’t know), his glasses are perched on his head and he’s waving around the red plastic cup and yelling, “I can’t fucking SEE, Brian!” He’s drunk, because the guy he’s talking to isn’t even called Brian. And also because he’s wearing a towel around his waist in a poor excuse of a belt; his shorts are too big for him. He’s not going to remember any of this.

The guy barely registers when Mark introduces Jackson to him. He’s clearly the big shot here, seeing as he’s the host, but Jackson recalls what his roommate told him: “They’re all just a bunch of losers, nerds who think they’re cool, just some geeks renting out a place to put their merch and game in peace.” Not that Jinyoung’s any different. Jackson can’t really picture Jaebeom being one of them, but he supposes he is, with number of bad puns he makes a day.

Jackson considers himself a jock. And maybe some of the cool is wearing off, because he kinda really wants to be friends with this guy.

But then Jae’s shouting, “Who? Jack? Jackson?” in his face and slings and arm around him to steer him drunkenly this way and that. He gestures extravagantly and leads him to the drinks. That’s most of what Jackson remembers before he’s downing something sweet and things go fuzzy. 

-

When Jackson wakes up, his heart stops for a second, because he’s opened his eyes to near total darkness and a face peering down at him. 

_I’m in hell,_ Jackson thinks. _I’ve gone to hell and Satan is staring at me._

But the face talks and he realizes it’s Jaebeom. He has a headache. 

Oh, he’s in his room. He’s thankful the lights are off and curtains drawn.

“Ow.” Jackson tries to sit up and his stomach churns, but doesn’t think he’s going to puke. Not yet, anyway.

“You good?” Jaebeom asks and he’s considerate enough to be quiet (if it had been his neighbour Eric, he would have yelled in his ear with no mercy; god, he hated Eric sometimes). 

Jackson’s not ‘good’. Jaebeom (and after a few minutes, Jinyoung) stays with him until he can open his eyes completely, until the earth stops spinning under his feet. He’ll be alright. But when he turns his phone back on, it starts to buzz a fucking song. Notifications. Hundreds of them.

Oh, now he’s living his worst nightmare.

“Why do I have so many notifications?” he asks them faintly, panic rising in his throat like bile when he sees them exchange glances. “Do I want to open these?”

Jinyoung nods vigorously, but Jaebeom presses his lips together. “You went pretty hard last night and…um. Jae thought it would be funny if you tried out for Iota Pi Epsilon. Chansung and Younghyun put you through initiation.”

Jackson thinks he might puke, after all.

“Iota Pi Epsilon? Isn’t that your fraternity?” he asks weakly. “I’m part of it now?”

Jaebeom winces. “Not exactly. Chansung uploaded a video of you…ah. Maybe you should watch it yourself later. Jun is going to assess you soon.”

Dread creeps into his mind. He doesn’t particularly want to know what he did. He groans and flops back down onto his bed, face in his pillow.

“I’m going to jump off the roof,” comes his muffled voice.

Jinyoung smacks the back of his leg. “Don’t be so dramatic.” Jackson whines when he hears them laugh. He’s fucked up the rest of his college life. There’s no point of life anymore. He might as well pack up, move away and change his name.

Someone knocks on the door and it opens. Jackson lifts his head and peers around his roommate. It’s Jae. He’s definitely sober now. He also looks guilty.

“Jae…” Jaebeom’s shaking his head as if to say he’s screwed. And maybe he is. Jackson doesn’t know how fraternities work.

“Man, I’m sorry, dude,” Jae says, scratching the back of his head. “I didn’t think drunk me would go that far for a laugh.”

“You’re lucky Jun thought it was funny,” Jaebeom scolded. “He doesn’t like outsiders interfering with the frat.”

Before Jae can give excuses, Jackson splutters, “Outsiders? So, you’re not…in Iota Pi Epsilon?”

“Me?” Jae exclaims. “Hell no, does it _look_ like I am?” He gestures carelessly to Jaebeom. “These dudes are. They just happen to be my friends, too.”

Jackson wonders why then, were they all at a party together, and remembers that it hadn’t been in a frat house, just _a_ house. Ah. He’s screwed. He doesn’t have a single idea what frats are, despite being told in high school that he gives off frat boy vibes. He’s also beginning to get curious about the video. What did he do that was so funny the leader of Iota Pi laughed at it? 

While Jaebeom chews Jae out, Jackson reluctantly opens his notifications. He has messages from people on every platform he’s a part of; on Instagram and Snapchat and Telegram and WhatsApp. Everything. And much to his surprise…a lot of the messages are stuff like _’dude that was insane you better be in our frat’_ and _’oh my god even I don’t have the balls’_. He’s slightly happier until he comes across one from Namjoon that goes _’I don’t know why I’m your friend; I understand going and getting drunk but this type of shitfaced is a whole other level, good luck apologizing to Professor Lee, my prayers are with you’_. 

Well fuck. What did he do to Professor Lee? Of all the lecturers in this damned college, why did it have to be him? Jackson knows only too well the reason behind Professor Lee’s nickname of Hitler. If he really did do something fucked up to him…well. He can use all the prayers he can get.

“Jinyoung?” he whispers, not trusting his own voice. “What…exactly did I do?”

Jinyoung watches him with pity in his eyes. “The first, or the second?”

Jackson is going to _die_. “There’s more than one?”

Jaebeom has bullied Jae out into the corridor to talk. Jinyoung scoots closer and pulls out his phone. “Well, the first one isn’t on tape, not completely, but you got up onto the pool table and stripped. Quite fantastically, too, may I add.” He opens a video and shows him. It’s incredibly noisy; they can hardly hear the music that’s playing. The camera isn’t focusing properly but he can see it. He can see himself standing on that table shirtless and on his way to get his pants off. 

He’s mortified. “Please tell me that’s the worst of it.”

Jinyoung doesn’t answer, just shows him another video. This one is better quality; it’s been taken in the day time. He squints at it. It’s a crowd around the little mailboxes that the teachers have in front of the staff room, sort of like the ones you’d find in the lobby of an apartment. Professor Lee comes into frame and it seems like everyone is holding their breath. The professor is just as confused by this sudden mass of students around the room, but it becomes clear to him when he opens his mailbox and a rat jumps out. Not just a rat, but lizards and cockroaches too. Professor Lee is deathly scared of them.

The hysterical shrieks of the lecturer has the entire crowd laughing and so would Jackson, if he wasn’t dreading the answer to his question. “Who put those there?”

Jinyoung arches an eyebrow. 

Jackson doesn’t want to say it. “I…put those there?”

He nods. 

Jackson wails and flops down onto his bed, but bolts upright a second later. “But they don’t have proof? How is it me?” 

“There is proof. The video Chansung hyung uploaded last night of you putting that shit there. Your ticket to the fraternity.” Jinyoung patted him to lay back down in despair. 

“I knew I shouldn’t have gone to the party.”

“I did tell you to fuck off when you begged me to take you along.”

“Fuck you. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“On what basis? You fucking went and fucked up Hitler’s mailbox.”

“Yah, stop fighting.” The two fell silent as Jaebeom’s overwhelming presence returned, Jae in tow with head hung in shame. Jaebeom stuck out a hand to Jackson. “Anyway, welcome to Iota Pi Epsilon.”

“Wait, what?”

Jaebeom’s smile is thin. “Yep. Come on, get up. Jun’s called for you both.”

Jackson knows he’s fucked. 

-

Jun is pretty intimidating, probably the picture in the dictionary next to the word. And he doesn't look like he appreciates being told who to accept into the frat. Jae refuses to make any eye contact as Jun scans them both up and down. Jackson’s breaking into a sweat despite the reassurance Jaebeom had given him. He supposes that he’s lucky in a way, to have finished initiation while drunk instead of sober. But he’s also not sure he would have volunteered to join in Jae hadn’t interfered. 

“What’s your name again, punk?” Jun barks. He’s looking at Jae, who’s flinched and lifted his head. 

“Jae.” 

“Jae what? Your _name_ , not what your friends call you.”

Jae swallows. “Park Jaehyung.”

"Ah, right." Jun hums, contemplating. He turns to Jackson with a smirk on his face and asks, “Met Hitler yet?” Jackson shakes his head, not wanting to think about it. Jun nods. “Go tell him you’re sorry to finish your initiation and I’ll keep you covered. You’re a brave kid, Wang. Even if this idiot did get you drunk to do it.”

Jackson notices the way Jae winces a tiny bit, but he inclines his head. He hopes when Jun said he’s got him covered, he meant that he wouldn’t get punished for this. Maybe he would be banned from parties? Would that be too terrible? Maybe he deserves it. He thinks Professor Lee is going to hate him for the rest of his life whether he apologizes or not. At least Jackson only has him for a semester.

“You know I don’t like other people nominating initiates, right?” Jun asks Jae. 

“Well, technically, I didn’t nominate them, Chansung—” Jae’s steady stream of loopholes is cut off at once. Jackson thinks that maybe Jae’s stood there before. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Jun waves off his explanation. “This is your last warning, you hear? Do it again and you’ll be the one going through initiation. And believe me, it won’t be easy.”

Jae nods hastily and Jun tells them to get out with his eyes. Meeting’s over.

-

Jaebeom is waiting for them down the hall and opens his mouth to ask how it went, but then Jae’s bent over, hands on his knees, wheezing. It takes Jackson a minute to realize that Jae is actually _laughing_. Jaebeom’s smirking down at him.

“Lord, he never changes, does he?” he gasps out, eyes tearing up. He coughs, raising the pitch of his voice in mockery. “ _This is your last warning, do it again and I’ll put you through initiation!_ Wow, so scary! Even Jackson wasn’t afraid, were you, Jackson?”

Before Jackson can say that yes, he was kinda scared, Jae prattles on. “Did you hear that, JB? He’s going to put _me_ through initiation! As if I wasn’t the one who provided him with good, strong men for his frat.”

“Jae…” Jaebeom is shaking his head with an almost fond look on his face. “Big talk out of earshot, huh? Don’t give Jackson the wrong impression.” Jaebeom turns to him sternly. “Just because Jae is insane doesn’t mean Jun is easy, okay? He can get really mad and you don’t want to be around to see it. He’s like an atom bomb.” 

Jackson looks from one to the other, not knowing what to believe, but also mildly relieved. He still has an ordeal to go through, the apology. And he should be mad at Jae for sparking the entire thing. He _should_ be mad at Chansung and whoever actually made him go on with it. 

But he’s not. 

He looks at Jae’s eyes shining with mirth and Jaebeom’s exasperated expression, he realizes that no matter how fucked up his life gets in college, it would be worth it for friends like these. Jae sticks his fist out and Jackson bumps it with his own. Jae doesn’t look down on him from his hopeless height, but slings an arm around him. Tells him not to thank him. Tells him not to listen to Jaebeom. 

They’re so similar in the type of chaos they like to produce. Their energies should clash, and they have. But the dust has settled for now, and Jackson decides he likes a little more noise in his life. He can almost hear Jaebeom and Jinyoung groaning in sync about this new development, but that doesn’t bother him.

In fact, annoying them is a plus.


End file.
